What next?

“Did you move home?” “When are you coming back to Texas?” The two most commonly asked questions I’ve gotten over the last few months.

My family tossed around the idea of me returning to Oregon to continue working remotely around the middle of 2020. Since March, we had been working from home. In the beginning, staff waited to hear about our future. Would we return to the field this month? Would the state continue to allow physical therapists to do telehealth and would insurance companies reimburse for our service? Would we all keep our jobs? We really had no idea. As someone who is a planner, this was challenging to take it month by month, especially with no family near me in this hellacious year. FINALLY, we received an email – Heath and Human Services had extended coverage for a longer than a month.

My decision to come home was last minute. I was thriving in my new routine. I would wake up at 4:30am, get in a work out, take my dog for a long walk, shower, breath work, journal, educate families, repeat. I loved the life I had created. I finally felt I had work-life balance. I was discovering things about myself that needed finding many years ago but was not getting the attention it deserved. I was hesitant to let this new norm go. My parents live in the middle of nowhere. Would I have fast enough internet? I didn’t want to spend that much time in the car but even more didn’t want to leave Henley for too long. At times, I found every excuse to stay in my comfort zone until I saw a text with my dad’s flight confirmation. Then there was no turning back.

I intended to stay in Oregon for a month. A month turned into 2, then 3 and now 6. At times I wasn’t sure how I would go from a city like Austin to a on-the-brink-Eastern-Oregon ghost town. No joke, I wondered where would I get kale!?! But here’s the truth, I have adapted to a slower pace of life. I have fallen in love with being in the middle of nowhere. My priorities have shifted and I no longer feel an intense pull to be in the hustle of a city. Each morning I am greeted by two of the craziest pups who demand so much yet bring me the most joy. I created my own gym in the corner of my dad’s shop. Walks to the mailbox is something I look forward to. My days are filled with sounds of nature and no car horns. The stillness has given me the opportunity to connect with others in a way that my soul had been craving all along but I failed to recognize.

While this seems like a no-brainer, it’s not that simple. I have a job I truly love. Clients on my caseload have changed my life. To witness first hand a family’s transition from uncertainty and failure to confidence is one thing I will never take for granted. I often have to pinch myself that I have the opportunity to provide families with resources to feel empowered and change the trajectory. Their tone changes. Body language screams confidence. Interaction with their child is calm, patient and playful. Families are finally able to take a breath because they know they are not alone. The icing on the cake is my supervisor. Having had numerous jobs in my lifetime, I have learned supervisors can make or break your work experience. She has felt like family from the beginning. She not only cares about me succeeding in my career, but is supportive outside of my career. Truthfully, the entire staff has welcomed me with open arms, all the way from office staff to our CEO/President. In a world where you are often a replaceable statistic, here it is different. I wish every person had the opportunity to experience a work place like Any Baby Can. This. This is why I don’t close the Texas chapter.

What next? In my ideal world, I would have the flexibility to work remotely while being in the field one week out of the month. I know this likely won’t be the case. I am not quite ready to return to Texas but put a few things on my radar so when the time comes, there will be some excitement. So to answer the questions – No, I am not moving home. And no, I do not I know when I’ll be back in Texas. At least for now! 🙂

In a world full of uncertainty, here is what I do know (thank you, 2020!):

• The importance of grounding myself daily.
• You are the creator of your script.
• Lead with love not fear.
• I have a great appreciation for stillness.
• The little things are what truly make life worth living.
• Getting uncomfortable is where the good stuff happens.
• The way to freedom is through surrender.
• The Universe will always find a way to keep people in your life who belong.
• Follow your intuition and you’ll never be lost.